Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1887-01-26
THE PARTNER.

THE PARTNER.
Thomas Mathers was only ledger
clerk in the banking firm of Hodgson,
Dunford & Parr, ST. Swithin's Lane,
Lombard Street. 1t was neither q
very responsible nor lucrative posi-
ton, and Tommy las all his friends
called him) longed, as perhaps $4,000
young men IN a similar situation IN
London are longing at this moment,
for chance of turning his brains to
better account than adding up col
umns OF figures and copying entries
from one big book into another.
The chance did not come, but
Tommy did not despair; and there
was this difference between him and
the great majority of his fellow pris-
oners OF the desk-he had the pluck to
work away manfully at whatever be
thought might possibly some day help
him to better his position, even
though he could not see exact fly how
it was to be done. With this end in
view he got up in French, Germ an and
Italian, and he did everything he
could to pick up information as to
the financial circumstances OF the GUS
TONERS Of the bank. He scraped &C.
quaintance with every clerk employed
by those who had accounts at the
bank, as far as he possibly could, and
picked up In time an ide,, more or
less accurate, as to the commercial
status of most of them.
One day he happened to be at lunch
IN his favorlte restaurant when an &C.
quaintance named Darling came in
and sat down beside him. After lit
tie casual conversation, Darling asked
him to let him know of any vacant
clerkship he might hear of.
81 will, certainly, old fellow" re-
turned Tommy; "but / hope you
haven't got into arrow with Appleton. :"
Frederick Appleton was Darling's
brother-in-law, and he was also the
secretary of the Mudford and County
Chemical Company, In whose count
ing-house young Darling had subor-
dinate post
ooh, no. nothing of the kind" re-
turned Darling; and then he changed
the subject.
lunch, Mathers asked himself why
Darling should leave his present situa-
ton. He had capital prospect there
his brother-in-law being the secre-
tary-and there was no disagreement
between him and his influential rela-
tive. Could it be that Darling had
had hint from his brother-in-law
that the Chemical Company was get
ting into shallow water, and that it
behooved him to be looking out for
another situation? 1t seemed more
than likely; and young Mathers de-
termined to act at once. He slipped
into the bank parlor that afternoon,
hoping to find the junior partner, Mr..
Parr, good-natureds sort of man who
was not likely to snub him for volun-
teering information. To his disap-
pointment he found only Mr.. Hodg-
son, g. sour-tempered old man, who
was struggling into his overcoat, pre-
paratory to leaving the Office for the
day.
"Well," growled the banker. "what
do you want ?"
Tommy was on the point of saying
that he had come to speak to Mr..
Parr, but in q moment he changed his
mind.
81 heard something to-day, SIR" he
replied, "that made me think that tie
Mudford Company are not in very
good way"
swell, what of that? What's that
to me?'
Nothing, sir; only thought there
was no harm in letting you know"
Anything of that kind you can say
to Mr.. Parkinson" answered the old
gentleman, as he seized his umbrella
and waddled down the passage.
Tommy felt snubbed; but he did not
mind that much. He had done what
he wanted, brought himself under the
personal notice of one of the partners.
If he had given the hint to Parkinson,
the head cashier, Parkinson not he,
would have had all the credit of it.
He retired to his place among the
other clerks, q little sore at the re-
buff, yet not entirely unsatisfed.
On his way home Mr.. Hodgson re-
membered that the bank held some.
shares of the Mudtord Chemical Com
paHy as security for the balance of
the account of one of their customers
who was deemed rather shaky. Next
morning, accordingly, he called
Tommy into his room and questioned
him as to the nature of his informa-
ton.
perhaps you will excuse my enter
ing into that, sir,' said Tommy, with
the utmost GOODNESS.
Mr.. Hodgson dismissed Mathers to
his work with dissatisfied grunt and
a wave Of his hand, and Immediately
set to work to have the shares of the
Mudford Company exchanged for other |
securities.
Tommy, who managed to know ]